Multi-purpose safety vest



Oct. 4, 1966 c. E. MURcoTT MULTI-PURPOSE SAFETY VEST Filed Oct. 18, 1965INVENTOR. CHAR/.5 Mz/RcOTT HTTORNEY United States Patent 3,276,432MULTI-PURPOSE SAFETY VEST Charles E. Murcott, Huntington, N.Y., assignorto General Medical Equipment Corp., Bay Shore, N.Y., a corporation ofNew York Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,237 Claims. (Cl. 119--96)This application constitutes a continuation-in-part of the structureshown in my prior applications, Serial Numbers 458,720 and 458,721 bothled May 25, 1965.

This invention deals with a safety vest for use in support of a patientin a wheelchair or other chair or upon a bed to prevent accidentaldisplacement of the patient from the chair or bed while, at the sametime, providing reasonable body movement. The body movement in questionis from side to side, particularly when the patient is arranged upon abed. More particularly, the invention deals with a safety vest structurewhich is simplified to the extent of providing thereon one long strap,having ends extending laterally from sides of a back panel and utilizedin conjunction with two pairs o-f loops. One pair of loops are disposedat the top of the back panel and the other pair of loops are disposed atthe lower end portion of the front panel of the vest.

Still more particularly, the invention deals in the provision of a dualstrap abdominal supporting section at the lower portion of the chestpanel and disposed between the pair of loops at sides of the lowerportion of the chest anel. p The novel features of `the invention willbe best understood from the following description, when taken togetherwith the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of theinvention -are disclosed and, in which, the separae parts are designatedby suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a safety vest, with parts of theconstruction broken away and diagrammatically illustrating, in part, thestitching employed and showing the ends of the tie stra-p broken away.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating arrangement ofthe vest upon the body of the wearer, preparatory to attachment to achair, bed or the like, the strap structure of the vest being borderedby heavy lines to clearly illustrate the vest upon the wearer.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic perspective view showing attachment Iof thevest to a wheelchair.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic perspective views illustrating twomethods of securing a patient while arran-ged upon a bed; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged diagrammatic sectional view on the line 6 6 ofFIG. 1, no attempt being made to illustrate the fabric characteristics.

Considering FIG. 1 of the drawing, 1l)` represents a front or chestpanel of suitable strong fabric having, adjacent the upper edge portionthereof, a head opening 11, with a bound edge 12 stitched to 10, asillustrated, in part, at 13. The lower hemmed edge 14 of the panel 1l)is iiared laterally to the sides, as clearly shown, the hem beinginitially secured in place by a stitching 15. The upper edge of thepanel 10 terminates beyond the opening, in other words, at the edge 16and the side edges of the panel are hemmed as illustrated, in part, at17. These last hemmed edges, however, do not necessarily have theinitial stitching, as noted at 15.

At 18 is show-n the back panel which has a lower hemmed edge 19, with astitching 20, similar to the stitching 15, the panel `18 having hemmedside edges, as illustrated, in part, at 21. The upper end yof the backpanel terminates in the binding, as at 12', and at sides` of the upperportion of the back panel are extensions 22 extending onto upper sidesof the front panel, one of these Patented Oct. 4, 1966 ice sideextensions only being shown in the broken away portion. At this time,.it will Ibe apparent that the front and back panels can be formed of asingle piece of material but, to simplify the construction, separateparts are employed, preferably yof the same material, but securedtogether as defined.

The sides of both panels 10 and 18 are reinforced by wide straps orwebbings 23 which extend from the lower edge of the bac-k panel to thelower edge of the front pianel. Extending transversely across the upperedge portion of the back panel is a cross shoulder strap 24, ends ofwhich extend beyond sides of the panels and then backwardly to form sideback loops 25 at their ends. The returned free ends of the strap 24 arearranged upon the straps 23, one of these ends being shown at 25 at thetop of FIG. 1 and the loops of the strap 24 are reinforced in attachmentto the straps 23 by double stitchings, as diagrammatically seen at 26.The strap 24 is stitched to the straps 23 and the back panel 18 at sideedges thereof, as indicated, in part, at 27.

At the lower portion of the front or chest panel 10 is attached anothercross-strap assemblage 28, comprising a single strap folded centrally,as seen at 29, to extend side portions 30 downwardly in the direction ofthe lower corner portions of the front panel. The strap then extends atboth sides of the front panel and turns Iback upon itself to form sideloops 31 and other end portions 32 of the loops 31 extend downwardly andangularly along the hemmed edge 14 of the front panel, the ends of thestrap being secured together, as at 33. The portions 30 and 32 arestitched at their side edges to the panel 11i, as illustrated, in part,in the drawing. These stitchings also extend onto the side straps 23, asdiagrammatically illustrated, in part.

At this time, it is pointed out that the various stitchings of thestraps are only shown in part throughout, these illustrations being atend portions of the straps 23, for example, as well as adjacent thecross-strap 24, as well as adjacent the bottom tie strap 34 secured tothe lower edge of the back panel 18.

The strap 28, where it is arranged upon the lower front ends 0f thestraps 23, has rein-forced stitchings, as at 35, to reinforce attachmentof `the loops 31 with the front panel and the straps 23 fixed thereto.For purposes of description, the more or less diamond-shaped arrangementof the strap portions 30, 32 upon the lower portion of the front chestpanel 10 provides what might be termed an `abdominal supporting shieldportion 36 to provide a more free or less binding support upon the bodyof the wearer.

The tie strap 34 has reinforced stitchings 37 directly upon the lowerends of the side straps 213 and the lower corner portions of the panel18. The ends 38 of the tie strap extend beyond side edges of the hackpanel to various lengths in diffe-rent sizes of vest but, in an averageadult size, could extend approximately seven feet to compensate forvarious securing operations in holding a patient in a wheelchair or upona bed, as diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 of thedrawing.

Considering FIG. 6 of the drawing, here is a diagrammatic illustrationshowing initial stitching of the panel '18 to one of the side straps 23,including the showing of the hemmed edge 21 and also the pair ofreinforced stitchings 37, which pass through not only the strap 34, butthe strap 23 and the panel 18, thereby providing a strong reinforcedattachment of the tie strap to the lower edge portion of the back panel.The same would apply to the other reinforced stitchings, as at 26 and35. AIn all instances, the reinforced stitchings extend through the sidestraps 23 and the panels 10 and 18.

With `my present simplified form of safety vest, a single tie strap isemployed, in combination with the two pairs of loops at sides of thebody portion of the vest.

Considering FIG. 2 of the drawing, `in initial attachment of the vest toa patient, the vest is passed over the head of the patient, the headpassing through the opening 11, after which, the ends 318 of the tiestrap 34 are passed through the loops 31,'preparatory to retaining apatient in a wheelchair or the like or upon a bed.

Turning now to the showing in FIG. 3 of the drawing, it will appearthat, in retaining the patient against displacement from a wheelchair,the loops 25 are passed over the handgrips 39 of the chair 40, afterwhich, the ends 38 of the strap 34 are tied at the back 41 of the chair,as seen at 42. It will, thus, be seen that a patient is held againstleaning forward in the chair or slipping forward in a chair.

Turning now to the showing in FIG. 4 of ythe drawing, after assemblageof the vest, as shown in FIG. 4, the patient, when ly-ing upon the bed43, wil be retained in the bed by extending the tie straps 38 downwardlyover the sides of the bed and tying them to a rail 44, as seen at 45.With this construction, it will be apparent that the patient is free torise in the bed or, in other Words, to have the rear portion of the bedmoved into an inclined position and, yet, at all times, the upper partof the patient is free and, by movement of the loops 31 along the tiestraps 38, the patient can move from side `to side and still be retainedagainst displacement from the bed.

Considering FIG. 5 of the drawing, here it will appear that, afterhaving established the tie, as at 45, the long strap end 38 is alsopassed through the loop 25 at the upper shoulder portion of the backpanel and, then, tied to the rail 44', as seen at 45. This retains theupper part of the body of the patient against movement into a raisedposition, but still provides the turning of the patient from side toside as and when desired. It will be understood that, While only oneside of the bed is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawing, the other sideof the bed will have attachments, similar to those shown in FIGS. 4 and5.

While the head open-ing 11 has been described as in the upper portion ofthe front or vest panel 10, this opening is partially formed in theupper end portion of the back panel 18, keeping in mind the extendedportions 22 of the back panel.

The s-upporting shield 36 is wide centrally of the .front panel and iscontracted in the direction of the straps 23 at sides of the frontpanel, thus providing a widespread support of the shield and preventingwhat would otherwise be a belt-like binding or pressure upon .the bodyof the wearer.

My improved safety vest does not employ any type or kind of buckles orother fasteners. Thus laundering of the vest is simpliiied.

As previously indicated, vests of the type and kind will be made inapproximately three adult sizes and three or more children or infantsizes as, at all times, it is desirable to have the various panels of aproper fitting size upon the 'body of the wearer, as well as the lengthof the various straps employed, including the loop portions formed onthe straps. It will further be apparent that the uses herein illustratedare only by way olf showing some of the primary adaptations and uses ofthe safety Vest, as these vests can be mounted in connection withvarious types and kinds of supports. With the structure, as shown inFIG. 3, the tying, as at 42, can take place at the front of the patient,after the straps have passed around the back 41 of the chair,particularly when it is desirable to have the patient care for removalof the vest in getting out of the chair, without the need of assistancefrom another person.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. A safety device of the character deiined, comprising front and backpanels having reinforced side edges, a head opening formed between upperand lower portions of said front panel intermediate said reinforcededges, a cross-strap at the upper portion of the back panel .terminatingin loops projecting at sides of said panel, another cross-strapassemblage at the lower portion of the front panel, said assemblagecomprising a pair of loops projecting at sides of the front panel and asupporting shield portion intermediate side edges of the front panel, acrossstrap at the lower edge of the back panel, and said last namedcross-strap including tie straps projecting at sides of the back paneland adapted to engage side loops of the vest in securing an individualin connection with a support upon which the individual is arranged.

2. A vest as dened in claim 1, wherein said tie straps engage the pairof loops at the lower portion of the front panel, and the `other pair ofloops of the vest operatively engaging parts of the support upon whichthe individual is arranged.

3. A vest as defined in claim 1, wherein said tie straps engage theother pair of loops of the Vest and the support upon which theindividual .is arranged in providing a secondary check of movement ofthe individual with respect to the support upon which the individual isarranged.

4. A vest as defined in `claim 1, wherein the tie straps, at all timesin the use of `the vest, operatively engage the pair of loops projectingyat sides of the lower portion of the front panel of the vest.

5. A vest as defined in claim 4, wherein said tie straps constitute ameans for extending through the pair lof loops projecting at upper sidesof the back panel in providing a double check of movement of anindividual in connection with a support.

`6. A vest as dened in claim 4, wherein the loops projecting at uppersides of the back panel of the vest constituting a means for engaginghandgrips of a wheelchair in support of the upper part of the body of anindividual in engagement with a backrest of such chair.

7. A vest as deiined in claim 1, wherein the crossstraps and`cross-strap assemblage include reinforced stitchings at side portionsof 'the Vest.

y8. A vest as defined in claim 7, wherein reinforcements at sides of thefront and back panel comprise straps extending the full length of saidpanel sides, and said reinforced stitchings passing through said sidestraps.

9. A vest as defined in claim \1, wherein said crossstrap assemblage isfashioned from a single elongated strap, and said panels having .hemmedside and end edges.

y10. A vest as deiined in claim '1, wherein said shield portion is.generally diamond-shaped in contour comprising a wide portion centrallyof the front panel and contracted ends extending to side edges of thetfront panel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,437,585 3/ 1948Zimmern 119-96 2,489,471 2/ 195 0 Williams 2-49 2,623,678 12/1952 Law119-96 2,827,898 3/1958 Thompson 12'8-134 3,035,278 5/ 1962 Golding5-317 3,098,479 7/ 1963 Storey 12S-134 3,136,581 6/ 1964 Caballero297--384 3,182,338 5/ 1965 Shirrod 5-336 SAMUEL KOREN, Primary Examiner.

ALDRICH MEDBERY, Examiner.

1. A SAFETY DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DEFINED, COMPRISING FRONT AND BACKPANELS HAVING REINFORCED SIDE EDGES, A HEAD OPENING FORMED BETWEEN UPPERAND LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FRONT PANEL INTERMEDIATE SAID REINFORCEDEDGES, A CROSS-STRAP AT THE UPPER PORTION OF THE BACK PANEL TERMINATINGIN LOOPS PROJECTING AT SIDES OF SAID PANEL, ANOTHER CROSS-STRAPASSEMBLAGE AT THE LOWER PORTION OF THE FRONT PANEL, SAID ASSEMBLAGECOMPRISING A PAIR OF LOOPS PROJECTING AT SIDES OF THE FRONT PANEL AND ASUPPORTING SHIELD PORTION INTERMEDIATE SIDE EDGES OF THE FRONT PANEL, ACROSSSTRAP AT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE BACK PANEL, AND SAID LAST NAMEDCROSS-STRAP INCLUDING TIE STRAPS PROJECTING AT SIDES OF THE BACK PANELAND ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SIDE LOOPS OF THE VEST IN SECURING AN INDIVIDUALIN CONNECTION WITH A SUPPORT UPON WHICH THE INDIVIDUAL IS ARRANGED.